The Granite Falls Police Department is investigating a rash of burglaries/vandalisms that occurred this past weekend; damaging a handful of local businesses and burglarizing one local residence.

Three incidents were reported to Granite Falls Police on Sunday, June 30. The first had police responding to a security alarm that was triggered when a rock was thrown trough a window at Dave’s Electric Motor Company at 12:47 a.m. The second incident was reported at 6:35 a.m. when Paul Krogstad, owner of Willie’s Korner Store, called police to report that someone had attempted to enter the store prior to his arrival and caused property damage. The third incident that morning occurred at a Granite Falls residence located at 710 9th Ave. There, auctioneer Donald Fitzner of Fitzner Auctions noticed a pair of doors entered by force and found a 12-piece place setting of Rogers Brothers Silverware valued near $800-$1,000, missing. The property belongs to Carolyn “Toots” Frederickson, who no longer lives at the residence.

A fourth, similar, incident occurred earlier in the week at the Rusty Nut. There perpetrators broke a window to gain entry into the consignment and craft business located on the east end of Granite Falls, yet it is unknown if anything was taken.

When asked if he thought the incidents were in anyway connected, Granite Falls Police Chief Russ Blue responded saying, “We don’t know and we have nothing to back it up, but I would say that there’s a high probability that there’s a connection at least in someway.”

Incidents of burglary and vandalism generally increase in the summer months correlating with the weather and summer break for area school districts.

“I don’t want to say incidents like this are common, but it’s not outside the norm, either,” said Blue. “We go through periods of ups and downs. We never know what the draw is for vandalism, but in the summer time is when it’s generally committed.”

Anyone with knowledge of the incidents are asked to contact the Granite Falls Police.

“We’re firm believers in deterrents,” said Blue when asked what residents and business owners can do to protect themselves. “You know in (Dave’s Electric Motor’s) case (the perpetrators) were only a couple of steps from taking merchandise. I think the alarm system there was a deterrent. And then there’s video, that’s always going to be a help to us. And systems don’t have to be that sophisticated to be big helps in investigations.”